DIETETIC INTERNSHIP

HANDBOOK California State University, Northridge Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Revised June 2019

2

Table of Content

Program Introduction ……………………………………………….……………….. 3

Program Description ……………………………………………………………….... 4

Program Mission and Goals ………………………………………….…………….. 5

Program Affiliates ………………………………………………………………….. 6

Entrance Requirements ……………………………………………………………… 7

DI Program Completion Requirements ………………………………………………

DI Program Admission & Verification Requirement ………………………………….

8-9

9-13

DI Calendar / Schedule ……………………………………………………………… 14-15

Special Interest Rotation ………………………………………………………………

Spanish Classes ……………………………………………………………………….

Business Plan ………………………………………………………………………….

Other Assignments ……………………………………………………………………

Estimated Costs of the Program ………………………………………………………

15

15

16

16

16-17

Program Calendar, Vacation, Holiday, and Absence Policies ……………………….. 18

Dress Code …………………………………………………………………………… 18

Liability ………………………………………………………………………………. 19

Physical Examination ………………………………………………………………… 19-20

Injury and Illness Policy at Facility ………………………………………………….. 20

Protection of Patients and clients …………………………………………………….. 20

Student Services ……………………………………………………………………… 20

Equal Opportunity ……………………………………………………………………. 21

Access to Personnel Files …………………………………………………………….. 21

Protection of Privacy of Information ………………………………………………… 21

Evaluation Procedures after Admissions to the DI …………………………………… 21-23

Grievance Procedure ………………………………………………………………… 23

Withdrawal from the Program or University and Refund Policy ……………………. 23

Disciplinary and Termination Procedures ……………………………………………. 23-24

Counseling and Disciplinary Procedures ……………………………………………. 24-25

Counseling Form …………………………………………………………………….. 26

Policy for Reviewing Preceptors ………………………………………………………

DI Professional Program Contract ……………………………………………………

27

28-29

CSUN DI Intern Checklist …………………………………………………………… 30

Smart Goals …………………………………………………………………………... 31

Forms/Outline

Log of Activities ……………………………………………………………………..

32

Critical Incident Form ……………………………………………………………….. 33

Evaluation of Supervised Practice and Preceptor Form ………………………………

Dietetic Preceptor Evaluation Form ………………………………………………….

34

35

Outline for Case Study ……………………………………………………………….. 36-37

Medical and Physical History Forms ………………………………………………… 38-40

Student Confidentiality Statement……………………………………………………… 41

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Program Introduction

This handbook is for the graduate student enrolled in the Dietetic Internship (DI) program,

within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), College of Health and Human

Development, California State University, Northridge (CSUN). The DI is accredited by the

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), formerly known as the

Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE)) of The Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics (A.N.D.), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995,

312/899-5400.

Preparation for the profession of dietetics is based on a combination of didactic knowledge and

specialized training. The purpose of the specialized training is to transfer academic knowledge

to professional practice. As a specialist in nutrition, food science and foodservice management,

the registered dietitian nutritionist offers expertise to individuals and groups desiring to maintain,

improve or restore health. These services are provided in a variety of settings ranging from

hospitals and other institutions, to community programs and outpatient clinics, private practice,

corporate food science and food service operations.

The DI at CSUN follows completion of the ACEND Approved Didactic Program in Dietetics

and a baccalaureate degree. The DI provides the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge

necessary to pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Examination for Registered

Dietitian- Nutritionists and to function as an entry level registered dietitian nutritionist. Although

the program provides the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge, it is up to the intern to

make use of the opportunities in the classroom and the specialized training in order to pass the

examination.

ACEND® has established a process for reviewing complaints against accredited programs in order to fulfill its

public responsibility for assuring the quality and integrity of the educational programs that it accredits. For

more information https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/public-notices-and-announcements/filing-a-complaint-

with-acend

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Program Description

The CSUN DI (and NEVHC WIC combined) program is a full time postbaccalaureate program

that admits only individuals who have completed the Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements

and have at least a bachelor’s degree. It provides 1216 hours of supervised practice experiences.

There are two concentrations in this curriculum: Nutrition Therapy (NT) and Community

(COM). Ten interns will be accepted each year in the NT concentration and four into COM.

The NT will complete 552 hours in Nutrition Therapy, 424 hours in Community

Nutrition and 240 hours in Foodservice Management.

The COM will complete 552 hours in Community Nutrition, 424 hours in Nutrition

Therapy and 240 hours in Foodservice Management. The applicants must be employed

by a California WIC program at the time of application and maintain continued

employment in good standing at a WIC agency.

The interns in both tracks will attend consortium classes each Monday. This seminar mainly

consists of attending Monday Greater Los Angeles Dietetic Internship Consortium (GLADIC)

classes. Attendance at the GLADIC classes is mandatory. You are required to attend all

GLADIC classes, if for any reason you may need to be excused from a class, a 5-6 page research

paper will be assigned. Details of the paper will be provided in the FCS 573 syllabus. These

classes are always on Mondays and may be 4-8 hours long during the day. These Monday

consortium classes will be part of the DI graduate seminar class (FCS 573) and 4 specific

graduate classes. The four graduate courses will be FCS 681 & 682 (Research Methods I and II),

FCS 607 (Macronutrients) and FCS 606 (Micronutrients). In addition, the interns will take a

medical Spanish training and a cultural sensitivity training.

Scheduled supervised practice experiences are 3-4 days per week, Tuesday through Friday, and

will be completed within 2 semesters. All interns will begin in July of each year and end in May.

DI Orientations for all concentrations will be scheduled during July of each year. (Community

interns will begin their WIC computer training June 1st). Interns must plan on being available

during the entire month of July. Community interns must be available starting June 1st.

Orientation hours are not part of the DI supervised hours; however they are mandatory.

The program is full time, 10 months long and will admit 14 interns each year.

Note: We ask that you do not work during your Dietetic Internship Program for the next 10

months. If you must work for financial reasons, you must notify the DI Director and Coordinator,

and you are recommended to work no more than 8 hours a week. Just a reminder, your Dietetic

Internship Program must take priority, you will not be able to use work as an excuse for skipping

rotation hours and/or internship related projects and/or events that may be asked of you to

participate in during the 10 months of the program. *You may be asked to rotate or participate on

a Saturday or Sunday.

Note: COM WIC Interns are required to work each Saturday, and maintain continued

employment in good standing at a WIC agency. Interns will be paid for Saturday work, please

see WIC handbook for details.

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Program Mission and Goals

Our Mission is to prepare high quality and culturally sensitive entry-level registered dietitian

nutritionists to meet our community needs by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.

Our program will enhance the profession of dietetics and ultimately the health status of the

community by training dietitians who can combine academic theory, research application,

practical experience, critical thinking and problem solving skills in all areas of dietetics and

serve ethnically diverse populations.

The goals of the program are:

1. To prepare registered dietitian nutritionists to work in all areas of dietetics.

2. To prepare graduates who are trained in Spanish language and cultural sensitivity.

3. To prepare graduates who are qualified to participate in the collection, analysis and

interpretation of research.

The mission statement of the program and the values of the university are consistent with The

American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Model for Dietetics Practice. This model

emphasizes that the core of the profession is nutrition and food services for individuals, groups

and communities. The ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with others enables

dietetics practitioners to provide these services. Our program provides graduate education in

nutrition and food science as well as opportunities for communication and collaboration in the

classroom and at supervised practice sites. A variety of supervised practice sites gives interns

experience in providing food and nutrition services to individuals, groups and communities thus

further developing technical skills, interpersonal skills and the ability to problem-solve, to think

creatively and to make decisions which are driven by research.

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Program Affiliates

Our affiliations include local hospitals, county programs, WIC programs, foodservice rotations,

school districts, outpatient dialysis centers, diabetes programs, outpatient clinics and programs,

and wellness programs.

For information regarding rotation sites, please contact DI Director.

Sometimes a rotation site could be 20-25 miles from an intern’s home. The daily schedule at the

practice sites may vary. It is important to start early at some rotation sites and start late at other

rotation sites, so the intern must be able to adjust to a flexible schedule.

Some of the rotation sites may be used for special interest. The DI Director will meet with

individual intern to discuss option and areas of interest. Requirements for placement vary at

each site. Some rotation sites require an interview. Interns will be placed at a facility pursuant

to facility requirements. For example, if a hospital requires an intern to have one year prior

clinical work experience, an intern who meets that requirement will be placed at that facility.

Intern placement may be based on residence if they meet the facilities’ requirements. The DI

Director, if possible, will attempt to place the intern at a facility location in close proximity to

their residence. There are specific rotation sites for Community emphasis interns. Rotation may

change at the last minute due to unplanned circumstances, such as a shortage of dietitians at a

facility or budget cuts.

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Entrance Requirements

All students must participate in the Spring Computer Matching (D&D Digital). The DI

application is submitted through DICAS, students must submit the required supplemental

material to the DI program, and in addition, student must apply to the CSUN graduate program.

Applicants interested in applying to the DI must file a separate application for graduate school at

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) through CSUApply. After completing the

CSUApply application, you will also need to apply to the FCS Department for Master in Human

Nutrition.

Information about entrance requirements for the graduate program is available at

http://www.csun.edu/health-human-development/family-consumer-sciences/graduate-admission-

human-nutrition

Additional information about the DI application is available at http://www.csun.edu/hhd/fcs/di/

Applicants to the DI program who are unable to pass or unwilling to pay for a background check,

drug screen or fingerprinting should not apply to this program as contracts/memorandum of

agreements with supervised practice sites require these tests which are obtained at student

expense.

An intern who is not able to pass the required background check, drug screen or fingerprinting

will be dismissed from the DI program and tuition may be only partially refunded, if at all.

Procedures for withdrawal and the refund schedule are published each semester in the CSUN

Schedule of Classes.

* CSUN Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog, FCS Department.

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DI Program Completion Requirements

The DI program is completed over two semesters (10 months) and is rigorous, combining

graduate classes with supervised practice. Interns attend classes at 4:00-6:45 PM and/or at 7:00-

9:45 PM two days a week and are in supervised practice three-four days a week.

Interns are expected to:

1. Complete 33 units of graduate courses including all of the following:

FCS 573 Seminar Dietetic Interns (Fall/Spring) (Note: interns

register for this course each semester but only

obtain 3 units towards the MS degree)

FCS 570 Practicum Nutrition Therapy (Fall/Spring)

FCS 571 Practicum Food Service System Management (Fall/Spring)

FCS 572 Practicum Community Dietetics (Fall/Spring)

FCS 606 Vitamin and Mineral Metabolism (Fall semester)

FCS 607 Carbohydrate, Lipid and Protein Metabolism (Spring semester)

FCS 681 Research Methods (Fall semester)

FCS 682 Research Applications (Spring semester)

Coursework may be taken before or during the rotations. A “B” average must be

maintained with a minimum “B” grade earned in each graduate course. A grade of

“B-“or lower in any of the above courses will be cause for suspension or dismissal

from the program. The intern’s coursework and schedule are determined by DI

Director with concurrence of the intern.

A description of graduate courses can be found at the Family and Consumer Sciences

(FCS) Department web site: http://www.csun.edu/hhd/fcs or the online catalog.

2. Complete 1,216 hours of supervised practice in assigned facilities and/or

programs. The supervised practice includes 552 hours in the nutrition therapy or

community track, 424 hours in the community nutrition or nutrition therapy track

and 240 hours in the foodservice management rotation. The rotations are taken

for a grade, but no graduate credit is given. Rotations must be completed within

15 months. In addition, for each area of supervised practice you will be required

to enroll in a course for a grade. These courses include FCS 570 (Nutrition

Therapy), FCS 571 (Food Service), and FCS 572 (Community Nutrition).

1. Complete a medical Spanish training or a conversational Spanish course.

2. Complete cultural sensitivity training classes.

5. Meet all program competencies and student learning outcomes.

6. Remain in good standing with the University and comply with all rules and

regulations as written in the University Catalog and this Handbook.

After completing the above, the intern will have earned 33 graduate units and is eligible to

schedule and write the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Examination for Registered

Dietitian- Nutritionists.

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The current CSUN DI program is accredited as a non-degree DI, however the program requires

that students take 33 graduate units credits in order to receive a DI verification statement. These

units can be applied to the MS in Human Nutrition degree.

Interns with a MS degree are accepted into the program and may receive credit towards the DI

program for some courses taken at another accredited university. They will not receive credit

towards the required nutrition classes. All nutrition classes must be taken at CSUN.

For a description of the M.S. degree and other important information, interns will need to

purchase the CSUN catalog, the Schedule of Classes and the FCS Graduate Handbook which are

available in the university bookstore and the FCS Department office.

DI Program Admission & Verification Requirement (Current & Proposed)

NT & COM Concentration

(Current Program)

NT TRACK (MS HN/DI)

(Proposed – if approved will begin

Fall 2021)

COM TRACK (DI

CERTIFICATE) (Proposed

non-degree – if approved will

begin Fall 2021)

PROGRAM

STRUCTURE AND

LENGTH

Cohort, fall start

10-12 months

Cohort, fall start

2-year program/24 months

Cohort, fall start

10-12 months

WHERE TO

SUBMIT

APPLICATION

1. Cal State Apply

https://www2.calstate.edu/ap

ply (choose MS HN)

2. ApplyWeb (CollegeNet)

https://www.applyweb.com/a

pplyweb/

3. DICAS

https://portal.dicas.org/

D&D Digital

www.dnddigital.com

1. Cal State Apply

https://www2.calstate.edu/apply

(choose MS HN)

1. ApplyWeb (CollegeNet)

https://www.applyweb.com/app

lyweb/

2. DICAS https://portal.dicas.org/

3. D&D Digital

www.dnddigital.com

1. Cal State Apply

https://www2.calstate.edu/ap

ply (choose DI Certificate)

2. DICAS

https://portal.dicas.org/

3. D&D Digital

www.dnddigital.com

APPLICATION

DEADLINE

February 15 for Fall February 15 for Fall February 15 for Fall

WHERE TO FIND

APPLICATION

INFORMATION

CSUN Catalog + department

website CSUN Catalog + department website

CSUN Catalog + department

website

APPLICATION

DOCUMENTS TO

MS HN

1. Copy of unofficial transcripts:

Please highlight the

prerequisite courses on each

unofficial transcript to show

the prerequisites have been

completed.

2. Report of GRE scores: Please

note there is no minimum

GRE score required for

admission. However, the GRE

score must be submitted with

the application despite GPA

3. Resume

4. Letters of Recommendation:

three letters of

recommendation are required

for admission. At least one of

the letters must be from an

1. Copy of unofficial transcripts:

Please highlight the prerequisite

courses on each unofficial

transcript to show the

prerequisites have been

completed.

2. Report of GRE scores: Please

note there is no minimum GRE

score required for admission.

However, the GRE score must be

submitted with the application

despite GPA

3. Resume

4. Letters of Recommendation:

three letters of recommendation

are required for admission. At

least one of the letters must be

from an instructor in the

N/A

10

instructor in the student’s

undergraduate program,

preferably in a science-based

discipline. Letters should be

addressed to the Graduate

Program Coordinator.

5. Personal statement: personal

statement addressing several

short prompts

6. Writing sample

student’s undergraduate

program, preferably in a science-

based discipline. Letters should

be addressed to the Graduate

Program Coordinator.

5. Personal statement: personal

statement addressing several

short prompts

6. Writing sample

ADMISSIONS

REQUIREMENTS

AND

APPLICATION

DOCUMENTS TO

DI (DICAS)

1. Personal statement

2. Transcripts indicating a

bachelor's degree

3. GRE

4. Verification Statement from

an AND approved/accredited

Didactic Program in Dietetics

(DPD) or a Declaration of

Intent to complete the DPD

5. Three (3) letters of

recommendation (one must be

from an employer/supervisor

and one must be from a full-

time Nutrition/Dietetics

Faculty)

6. Leadership and work

experience

7. Upload as supplemental

documents:

a. Signed DI professional

program contract form

found on the CSUN DI

website

b. Authorization for Packet

Review

c. Recency of Education

1. Personal statement

2. Transcripts indicating a

bachelor's degree

3. GRE

4. Verification Statement from an

AND approved/accredited

Didactic Program in Dietetics

(DPD) or a Declaration of Intent

to complete the DPD

5. Three (3) letters of

recommendation (one must be

from an employer/supervisor and

one must be from a full-time

Nutrition/Dietetics Faculty)

6. Leadership and work experience

7. Upload as supplemental

documents:

a. Signed DI professional

program contract form found

on the CSUN DI website

b. Authorization for Packet

Review

c. Recency of Education

1. Personal statement

2. Transcripts indicating a

bachelor's degree

3. GRE

4. Verification Statement from

an AND

approved/accredited

Didactic Program in

Dietetics (DPD) or a

Declaration of Intent to

complete the DPD

5. Three (3) letters of

recommendation (one must

be from an

employer/supervisor and

one must be from a full-time

Nutrition/Dietetics Faculty)

6. Leadership and work

experience

7. Upload as supplemental

documents:

a. Signed DI professional

program contract form

found on the CSUN DI

website

b. Authorization for Packet

Review

c. Recency of Education

APPLICATION

REVIEW

AND

SELECTION

CRITERIA

MS HN Admission Committee

o The committee determines

acceptance into MS HN

(holistic approach)

DI Admission Committee

o Application review

o DI Interview

o Applicant evaluated based

on the following:

Personal statement

GPA

GRE

Work experience

Leadership/honors

Letters of

recommendation

MS HN Admission Committee

o The committee determines

acceptance into MS HN

(holistic approach)

DI Admission Committee

o Application review

o DI Interview

o Applicant evaluated based

on the following:

Personal statement

GPA

GRE

Work experience

Leadership/honors

Letters of

recommendation

DI Admission Committee

o Application review

o DI Interview

o Applicant evaluated

based on the following:

Personal statement

GPA

GRE

Work experience

Leadership/honors

Letters of

recommendation

NEVHC WIC COM

– WIC experience is

preferred

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REQUIRED HOURS

FOR PROGRAM

COMPLETTION

NT Concentration – 1216 Hours

NT ~17.25 weeks [552 hours] MNT rotation [288 hours (12

weeks/36 days)]

Staff relief [96 hours (4 weeks)]

Research project [64 hours]

Spanish Practicum [64 hours]

Peer Mentoring Program [24

hours]

Professional organization [16

hours]

COM ~13.25 weeks [424 hours]

WIC [144 hour]

Special interest [64 hours]

COM Outpatient/C4C [96 hours]

Program development [120 hours]

Foodservice [240 hours]

(10 weeks/30 days)

Hospital/acute

School Foodservice

COM Track – 1216 Hours

COM ~17.25 weeks [552 hours] WIC [144 hours]

COM Outpatient/C4C [96 hours]

LA County Dept of Health

Services [96 hours]

Special interest [64 hours]

Peer Mentoring Program [24

hours]

Research project [64 hours]

Spanish practicum [64 hours]

NT ~13.25 weeks [424 hours]

MNT rotation [240 hours = (10

weeks/30 days)]

Staff relief [48 hours]

Professional organization [16

hours]

Program development project [120

hours]

Foodservice [240 hours]

(10 weeks/30 days)

Hospital/acute

School Foodservice

NT Track – 1216 Hours

Supervised practice = sp

Alternate hours = alt

NT ~17.25 weeks [552 hours] MNT rotation [288 hours = 208 sp

(8.6 weeks/26 days) & 80 alt hours*]

Staff relief [96 hours (4 weeks)]

Research project [64 hours]

Spanish Practicum [64 hours]

Peer Mentoring Program [24 hours]

Professional organization [16 hours]

COM ~13.25 weeks [424 hours]

WIC [144 hours = 120 sp & 24 alt

hours*]

Special interest [64 hours]

COM Outpatient/C4C [96 hours]

Program development [120 hours =

104 sp & 16 alt hours*]

Foodservice [240 hours]

25 days = 10 weeks [240 hours =

200 sp & 40 alt hours*]

Hospital/acute

School Foodservice

*Case studies, role play, simulation

COM Track – 1216 Hours

Supervised practice = sp

Alternate hours = alt

COM ~17.25 weeks [552

hours] WIC [144 hours = 120 sp (5

weeks/15 days) & 24 alt hours*]

COM Outpatient/C4C [96

hours]

LA County Dept of Health

Services [96 hours]

Special interest [64 hours]

Peer Mentoring Program [24

hours]

Research project [64 hours]

Spanish practicum [64 hours]

NT ~13.25 weeks [424 hours]

MNT rotation [240 hours = 160

sp (6.6 weeks/20 days) & 80 alt

hours*]

Staff relief [48 hours]

Professional organization [16

hours]

Program development project

[120 hours = 104 sp & 16 alt

hours*]

Foodservice [240 hours] 25 days = 10 weeks [240 hours

= 200 sp & 40 alt hours*]

Hospital/acute

School Foodservice

*Case studies, role play,

simulation

PROGRAM

VERIFICATION

Completion of 1216 hours of

supervised practice

Completion of all required and

equivalent courses are: FCS

570, FCS 571, FCS 572, FCS

573, FCS 681, FCS 682, FCS

606, and FCS 607 and medical

Spanish class. A “B” average

Completion of 1216 hours of

supervised practice

Completion of all required and

equivalent courses are: FCS 570,

FCS 571, FCS 572, FCS

573, FCS 681, FCS 682, FCS

606, and FCS 607 and medical

Spanish class. A “B” average

Completion of 1216 hours

of supervised practice

Completion of all required

and equivalent courses are:

FCS 570, FCS 571, FCS

572, FCS 573, FCS 681,

FCS 682, FCS 606, and

FCS 607 and medical

12

*The program submitted its self-study report for re-accreditation in 2019 and requested that accreditation be for

two tracks (NT TRACK (MS HN/DI) and COM TRACK (DI CERTIFICATE)). For the NT Track, this means both

the degree requirements and DI requirements would need to be met in order for the student to receive a DI

verification statement. The decision from the ACEND Board will not be forthcoming until 2020. The first cohort will

begin in Fall 2021.

DI Program Admission Rubric

CSUN NEVHC WIC Dietetic Internship Program

DIETETIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

The rating is based on the information in the application packet submitted by each of the applicants.

□ Supplemental Packet (Applicant must have submitted the following)

Authorize to review packet

DI Professional Contract

Application to CSUN and/or Masters In Human Nutrition

GRE or Graduate Student at CSUN

Recency of education (If Applicable)

Category

Letter of application/Personal Statement: Ability to spell correctly, sentences are grammatically sound, Demonstrates unity and cohesion of thought, clarity and

conciseness.

Demonstrates interest in the DI program, shows leadership ability as well as ability to be self-directed, Demonstrates

positive attitude toward the profession; shows enthusiasm, personable, creative, adaptability, specifies mechanisms by

which goals will be accomplished including how they have overcome barriers and challenges in the past.

Academic Achievement

Letters of recommendation (3 points each): one must be from an employer/supervisor and one

must be from a full-time Nutrition/Dietetics Faculty, and one other faculty

must be maintained in all

classes. 33 graduate units

may be applied towards the

Master of Science (M.S.) in

Human Nutrition, but the

M.S. degree is not a

requirement to receive the DI

Certificate and DI

verification statement.

Cultural sensitivity training

Meeting all program

competencies and student

learning outcomes.

Upon completion of all

program requirements, the

graduate intern will be issued

a verification statement and

will be eligible to sit for the

registration exam for

dietitians.

must be maintained in all

classes. As a combined Master

of Science (M.S.) in Human

Nutrition and DI, both the

degree requirements and DI

requirements must be met in

order for the student to receive

a DI verification statement.

Cultural sensitivity training

Meeting all program

competencies and student

learning outcomes.

Upon completion of all program

requirements, the graduate intern will

be issued a verification statement and

will be eligible to sit for the

registration exam for dietitians.

Spanish class. A “B”

average must be maintained

in all classes. 33 graduate

units may be applied

towards the Master of

Science (M.S.) in Human

Nutrition, but the M.S.

degree is not a requirement

to receive the DI Certificate

and DI verification

statement.

Cultural sensitivity training

Meeting all program

competencies and student

learning outcomes.

Upon completion of all program

requirements, the graduate intern

will be issued a verification

statement and will be eligible to

sit for the registration exam for

dietitians.

13

Work Experience For NT track: Previous work experience in dietetics or related field setting. Clinical setting preferred.

For COM track: The interns employed by a California WIC program at the time of application and maintain continued

employment in good standing at a WIC agency preferred. (One letter of recommendation must be from a WIC

supervisor.) Note: If there spots are available, other applicants will be considered.

Leadership/professional participation /Awards Membership in dietetics related group or participation professional/ leadership activity

Officer or leadership position

Awards/Scholarships Awards (Honor Society, student of year, scholarships). Do not count Dean’s list

Other

Research, publications, etc. ___________

The highest possible score for each applicant is 200 from the rater of the Selection Committee. The

application packet score (100 points) in combination with the interview score (100 points) will give a

score of 200 possible points. Students with a packet score of 70 or above will be called for an interview

with the DI Advisory Committee. Final selection for regular appointments will be made on the top

twenty-five to thirty applicants.

14

DI Calendar / Schedule

The CSUN DI Program starts June of each year. Orientation is scheduled for the months

of June and July. The first rotation may start during the last week of July and/or the first

week of August. The program ends on the second or third week of May. There will be a

two week vacation which is usually scheduled for the end of December and/or beginning

of January. A sample rotation schedule is below. Dates will vary based on the intern

rotations and intern concentrations. Please refer to hours of rotation and weeks of

rotation.

THIS IS A SAMPLE DI SCHEDULE

July Orientation to DI

Aug – Sept Foodservice rotation

Sept-Dec Nutrition Therapy rotation

Dec-Jan Vacation 2 weeks (dates will vary)

Feb-May Community Rotation

Most rotations are scheduled for Tuesday-Friday (3 or 4 days per week depending on the

DI concentration). The weeks of staff relief may be 4 days.

Weekly Intern Schedule Sample

Mondays FCS 573, Seminar in Dietetics

Attending Consortium class

One graduate course taken in the evening

Tuesdays- Friday Supervised Practice (FCS 570, FCS 571 and/or FCS 572)

Tuesday or Thursday One graduate course taken in the evening

Fall semester:

FCS 681, FCS 606, FCS 573, FCS 572, FCS 571 and/or FCS 570

Spring semester:

FCS 682, FCS 607, FCS 573, FCS 570, FCS 571 and/or 572

Spanish training classes will be taken online.

15

Rotation Schedule Policy The intern will meet with the DI Director prior to start of the DI to discuss all rotations.

The intern will be required to contact the preceptor two to eight weeks prior to the start of any

rotation. The intern may need to complete an orientation specific to the rotation site. Each

intern may also be required to conduct additional background checks or tests. The intern is then

urged to research and read about the site prior to the start of rotation. There are FACT SHEETS

specific to each rotation. The intern should, in addition, Google and search the website and

familiarize him/her with an overview of the facility. The intern is responsible in obtaining all

information necessary prior to start. Interns doing supervised practice must not be used to replace

employees.

Special Interest Rotation During the initial meeting with the DI Director, the intern will be asked to think about an area of

interest in the first few months and inform the DI Director at least 6-8 weeks in advance. The

intern will have the option to choose from one of the special interest areas with which the DI is

contracted. The intern will then contact the site 4 weeks prior to start date to determine if

additional background checks or information are necessary. Some sites may take 4 weeks to

clear an intern. Please plan ahead. Interns not following the policy may not be allowed to rotate

through their first choice.

The intern will then need to come up with goals and objectives for this rotation. They will need

to determine which Student Learning Outcomes will be met at the rotation site. The intern will

need to develop an evaluation form for this rotation similar to the ones used at CSUN DI. The

intern will submit a copy of their goals, SLOs and evaluation form to the preceptor on the first

day of rotation.

At the end of the rotation the following needs to be submitted to the DI Director:

Evaluation of intern by preceptor (intern has developed this)

Goals/SLO of the rotation

Self-Evaluation

Rotation/preceptor evaluation form

Critical Incident and log of activities form

Any projects or assignments completed at the rotation site

Spanish Classes

For this year we will use Skelly Publishing

Continuing education and practice resources for RDs

www.skellypublishing.com

1.888.Skelly1

There will be additional information during orientation and Sheila Kelly will be available for questions.

The Spanish course is entitled 'Connecting Successfully with Your Hispanic Clients: Cultural

Competence and Basic Spanish Skills for Nutrition Professionals', which is offered through Skelly

Publishing. To purchase it, please go to http://www.skellypublishing.com. At checkout, enter the coupon

code CSUN, which will give you the discounted price of $80.99. The program contains a book and 2

CDs. In the back of the book are instructions for accessing the Skelly Publishing online testing site to

complete the exam and receive your Certificate of Completion.

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Businesses Plan During the first meeting with the DI Director, the intern will be informed about the project and

will be urged to start thinking about a Business plan. Intern must submit a draft of the Business

Plan to the DI Director by end of first semester, and a final copy by the end of the internship

program. Please refer to the Business Plan class and CSUNbox file for the outline of all sections

to include in the project. The budget section of the business plan should be completed prior to

the budget assignment class. There will be a training and presentation on budgets. There are

samples of previous business plans in the DI Director’s office.

Other Assignments

Please refer to syllabus for the following assignments:

Research assignment; Spanish assignments; Program Development assignment

Case Studies; Menu assignment; Public Policy assignment, etc.

Estimated Costs of the Program

Estimated Costs for Interns

Costs 7+ units/

Semester

Full Year

One-Time

A.N.D. dues $58

Local District Association Dues $21

Professional Liability Insurance $22

COM concentration Intern Training Fee $750

University Related Expenses

CSUN Graduate Application Fee $55

FCS MS Human Nutrition Application Fee $30

CSUN Graduate Tuition $4,203 $8,406

*add $396 per unit for Nonresident & International students

Books/Supplies $1,029 $2,058

Parking (optional) $207 $414

Living Expenses

Room and Board $5,664 $11,328

Transportation $752 $1,504

Miscellaneous $852 $1,704

Health Insurance variable

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Insurance and Other Costs

Students are required to purchase their own health insurance, auto insurance, & liability

insurance throughout the program. Any additional trainings, background checks, fingerprinting,

SCANS, CPR training, etc. will be the financial responsibility of the intern.

Interns are required to purchase all the materials/books and supplies necessary for the Spanish

classes.

Interns are required to become student members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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Program Calendar, Vacation, Holiday, and Absence Policies

Two semesters and a total of ten months are needed to complete the program. The required

graduate courses are not taught during the summer but there are courses taught in the summer

which may be used toward the graduate degree.

Holiday and vacation breaks are published in the CSUN catalog and in the Schedule of Classes;

however most dietetic interns will be required to rotate through December and January. At least

one month before the beginning of the DI, the DI Director will plan the rotation schedule with

the intern. Interns with vacation requests should make them known to the DI Director at this

time. Interns will be rotating during spring break. The DI will begin in July of each year.

Month of June/July will be used for orientation to the DI program and some affiliate orientations.

The first rotation starts during the last week of July and/or the first week of August. Interns will

have approximately a one-two week vacation during the winter break.

A verification statement from the DI requires the satisfactory completion of 1216 hours

supervised practice experience in addition to the completion of all required courses and trainings.

Any time missed from these hours must be immediately discussed with the DI Director and be

made up in a manner that is satisfactory with the DI Director and the institution in which the

missed time occurred.

If an intern is sick or will miss any scheduled supervised practice hours, they must contact their

preceptor and DI Director immediately. The intern will discuss with their preceptor and DI

Director the manner in which they will make up the missed supervised practice hours.

Repeated absences that are not resolved may result in dismissal from the program.

All interns are encouraged to attend professional meetings such as the annual meeting of the

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, meetings of the state and district dietetic associations, and

Marilyn Magaram Center Advisory Board Meetings, events, lectures and symposia. Attendance

at meetings will be scheduled in advance so that the rotation schedule is not affected.

Dress Code

Interns in the DI are expected to act and to dress in a manner appropriate for a professional

dietitian. Business clothing and closed-toe shoes are required. Women may wear low-heeled

shoes or dress flats. Men may wear neckties and dress shoes. No jeans, T-shirts, exercise shoes,

shorts or tops exposing bare midriff are to be worn in supervised practice facilities. Laboratory

coats are often required. Interns should check with the staff of each facility to ascertain the dress

code for that operation. Name tags are to be worn at all times when in supervised practice

facilities. A badge/name tag is often provided; if one is not provided the intern may make one or

order one through a stationery store. The name tag should indicate the interns name along with

CSUN Dietetic Intern.

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Liability

Liability for Safety in Travel

Interns are responsible for making all travel arrangements to and from rotation sites and to and

from the university. Interns must have available a car as travel in the Southern California area

can involve considerable distances. Interns must show proof of car insurance and should

carefully check rates after consulting with a number of insurance companies. Proof of insurance

will be collected on a semester basis by the DI Director.

Since the University is self-insured as a state institution, liability coverage is unavailable to

interns. Interns are not employees of the university. The State of California requires all licensed

drivers to be able to show proof of automobile insurance.

Professional Liability Insurance

Upon admission to the DI, interns must immediately purchase professional liability insurance.

Proof of liability insurance is required before beginning any supervised practice. This insurance

is available through Mercer and should be ordered online at www.proliability.com. Sign up as a

student → Dietetic Practitioners →California →1,000,000/5,000,000 → for 1 year. The yearly

fee for this insurance is currently approximately $22 for 1 year.

Medical Insurance

Interns must also show evidence of medical insurance, either through a family medical plan or

the health insurance program available to CSUN students at special rates. Student health

insurance is available through Associated Students for services not provided by the Student

Health Center (e.g. hospitalization, surgery and maternity care). For more information, visit

CSUN’s Klotz Student Health Center http://www.csun.edu/shc/

Physical Examination

Before beginning the DI, interns are required to have a physical examination competed either by

their physician or by a physician at the Student Health Center. Student fees cover the costs of

most services at the Student Health Center so often no additional fee is incurred. Physical

examination forms are found in this Handbook. The purpose of the physical examination is to

determine if the intern is free of communicable disease. Proof of a yearly physical must be

provided to the Director and to all preceptors in hospitals, food service, and public health

programs. Additional medical screening is required by all DI facilities; this includes yearly

screening for tuberculosis. Some sites require additional health screening, such as titers for

varicella, mumps, measles, rubella and hepatitis. Some sites require the intern to have the

hepatitis vaccine, a series of three injections. Most tests are done at the intern’s expense.

In addition to the physical examination, all new and transfer students born after 1957 and all

students living in campus housing are required to show immunity to measles and rubella during

their first semester at CSUN. This requirement can be met by presenting immunization records

or receiving a free immunization at the Student Health Center. Any student who was immunized

between 1957 and 1967 for measles or rubella may be at risk of contracting these diseases due to

20

an ineffective vaccine administered during that period. Failure to either show proof of immunity

or receive an immunization will jeopardize future registration at CSUN.

Injury and Illness Policy at Facility

In the event of a medical emergency during supervised practice, you should notify your

preceptor who will arrange for necessary emergency health care. If you are unable to reach your

preceptor, speak to another employee at the site. Except for emergency or first aid care, the

facility is not required to provide any other health services. If additional services are provided,

the intern is expected to pay for this service at the time of service. Interns should check the

deductible on his/her medical insurance so the amount of out pocket expenses is known in

advance. Should you become ill at your site, speak with your preceptor, make arrangements to

leave and then call your personal physician. Please let the DI Program Director how you are

doing.

Protection of Patients and Clients

Most supervised practice sites require interns to attend an orientation and have a background

check prior to beginning a rotation. Some sites require an intern to attend fire class or have CPR

training. Hours spent in attending orientation or obtaining fingerprinting or background checks is

not part of the rotation hours. At the present time, some sites pay for the fingerprinting or

background checks but often the intern must pay for this service. LifeScan is currently the

company conducting the background checks and at present will only do a check for one site, thus

multiple checks may be needed. For additional information see www.mybackgroundcheck.com

Interns should expect that background checks will be done at his/her expense.

Student Services

CSUN has a variety of services designed to assist the student in succeeding at the University.

These services include: The Career Center which guides career development and decision-

making through counseling and educational programs; Student Development and International

Programs which provide information on off-campus housing, commencement and overseas

programs; Student Health Center which provides basic medical care for illnesses and injuries;

Learning Resource Center which provides assistance in developing effective writing as well as

information on email and other software used on campus; Students with Disabilities Resources

which provide direct services as well as referral services; University Counseling and Testing

Services which offer confidential counseling and psychological services; Financial Aid and

Scholarship Office which provides information on financial aid and scholarships. CSUN

provides free virus protection for all students and a CSUN email account. As the University uses

the CSUN email account to provide important announcements, any student who chooses not to

use the CSUN email account should go to the CSUN portal and have email referred from the

CSUN account to the student’s personal email account. A complete description of these and

other services can be found on the university web site at www.csun.edu or in the university

catalog under “student services”. Interns will have access to tutorial support services such as

associated students tickets, student’s recreation center and other services can be found on the

university web site at www.csun.edu/usu .

21

Equal Opportunity

CSUN does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, religion, disability, race, color, national

origin, marital status or sexual orientation. Procedures have been established by the University

President for students who feel discriminated against on the basis of any of the above. Please see

section on Evaluation and Grievance Procedures in this Handbook and also in the CSUN catalog.

Access to Personnel Files

The University maintains a personal file of each student in attendance. This file is considered to

be confidential except for "directory information" as described in the Protection of Privacy

section of this handbook. Students may access their files by using a PIN. In addition, students

may also request access to their files by ordering a copy of their transcripts. Transcripts of

courses taken at CSUN are issued only with the written request of the student concerned and

must be accompanied with the appropriate payment. The FCS Department also maintains a file

for each student. Interns may review their files at any time the Department office is open. The

FCS Department is located in Sequoia Hall Room 141.

Protection of Privacy of Information

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and

regulations adopted from this act (34 C.F.R. 99) and California Education Code Section 67100 et

seq., set requirements designed to protect the privacy of students concerning their records

maintained by the University. The University has authority under this Act to release "directory

information" concerning students unless the University has received a prior written objection

from the student specifying that the information not to be released. This notification must be

made at each registration for that semester. Any questions regarding student prerogatives under

the Act should be addressed to the Vice President for Student Affairs. "Directory information"

includes student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study,

participation in officially recognized activities and sports, dates of attendance, degrees and

awards received and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the

student. This information can be released at any time unless the University has received prior

written notice as stated above.

Evaluation Procedures and Policies after Admission to the DI

Each intern will meet with their preceptor during the rotation to measure the intern's progress

towards meeting the competencies and to identify strengths and weaknesses in on-the-job

behavior. Prior to the meeting, the intern and the preceptor separately will complete the

appropriate evaluation form and then use the evaluation form to jointly discuss the intern’s

progress. There will be a midway and/or final evaluation, depending on the supervised practice.

The original copy of the intern and the preceptor evaluation is given to the DI Director and/or DI

Coordinator at the conclusion of each rotation.

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Schedule for Preceptor/Dietetic Intern Evaluation:

Nutrition Therapy

· Intern should be evaluated midway and at the conclusion of the rotation.

Foodservice Management

· Intern should be evaluated midway and at the conclusion of the rotation.

Community

· WIC/LA Department of Public Health/Outpatient Counseling - Intern should be

evaluated at the conclusion of each rotation.

During all the rotations listed below, an evaluation form (either final or midway/final) will be

completed by the preceptor and submitted to the DI Director and/or DI Coordinator at the end of

each rotation. Each of the following rotations have assessment/evaluation forms:

NT rotation (evaluation forms, verbal feedback, pretest, case study, timesheet, completed

assignments)

WIC (evaluation forms, verbal feedback, timesheet, completed assignments)

Outpatient Rotation (evaluation forms, verbal feedback, pretest, case study, timesheet, completed

assignments)

Hospital/Acute Foodservice (evaluation form, verbal feedback, pretest, timesheet, completed

assignments)

School Foodservice (evaluation form, verbal feedback, pretest, timesheet, completed

assignments)

Special interest (evaluation form prepared by each intern based on their goals/objectives,

timesheet)

Research project (completed project, grade from instruction, sheet with hours completed)

Practicum Spanish (assessed throughout the internship, sheet with hours completed)

Program development (completed program development assignment, grade from instruction,

sheet with hours completed)

In addition, each intern is required to complete a pretest, and a sheet with SMART goals prior to

each rotation.

Interns are required to submit in addition to the above forms, an evaluation of the rotation

experience on SurveyMonkey. Links will be provided on course syllabi.

One year and three years post graduation, each intern will be asked to complete an evaluation

form. This will assist the program to assess the program.

Intern Retention

Interns having difficulties meeting competencies for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/Student

Learning Outcomes will be given individual guidance and assistance by the DI Director.

However, if improvement is not shown and the intern demonstrates a lack of ability or

23

commitment, he/she may be temporarily suspended from the program until a course of action is

taken and improvement results. If an intern believes he/she has been dealt with unfairly, a

conference should be arranged with the DI Director. If the intern is not satisfied with the

outcome of the conference, the Chair of the Department of FCS may be consulted. Interns with

minimal chances of success in the program will be counseled into career paths that are

appropriate to their ability.

Grievance Procedures

Procedures have been established by the University President in the event a student feels he/she

has been discriminated on the basis of age, sex, disability, race, color, national origin, marital

status or sexual orientation. Any student who desires to initiate a grievance against a faculty or

staff member because of discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national origin,

marital status or sexual orientation are advised to obtain written instructions for filing the

grievance from the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Equity and Diversity. A

student who wishes to initiate a grievance against a faculty or staff member on the basis of

disability are advised to obtain written instructions on filing the grievance from the Office of the

Vice President for Student Affairs or by initiating a search at www.csun.edu

Academic grievances are handled by separate grievance procedures than those used for

discrimination grievances. Grades assigned by faculty are assumed to be correct. A student who

has a question about the appropriateness of an assigned grade should first attempt to resolve the

matter informally with the faculty member involved. If this does not prove satisfactory, the

student may then bring his/her case before the Academic Grievance and Grade Appeals Board.

Information and forms for filing an academic grievance or grade appeal may be obtained from

the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs or by initiating a search at www.csun.edu. A

copy will be saved in the file for seven years.

Withdrawal from the Program or University and Refund Policy

When it is necessary for an intern to withdraw completely from the university he or she must

secure the appropriate approvals that are outlined in the university catalog under “withdrawal”.

Refund information is published each semester in the Schedule of Classes. Refunds are allowed

for a reduction in units or a complete withdrawal requested prior to the refund deadline which are

published in the Schedule of Classes and at www.csun.edu. The last day to apply for a refund,

which is very early in the semester, is printed in the Schedule of Classes. The time limits may be

extended if illness, accident or compulsory military service presents the student from filing

application within the prescribed time limits. The refund policy is based upon the date of

withdrawal. After the sixth week in the semester there is no refund. Please consult with the DI

Director and review the information in the Schedule of Classes if you need additional

information.

Disciplinary and Termination Procedures

The University assumes that all students will exhibit behavior that is mature, responsible and

law-abiding and that students will comply with University policies and procedures. The Student

24

Conduct Code can be found in the CSUN catalog and the Schedule of Classes and at

www.csun.edu

Interns are expected to maintain professional behavior. This includes maintaining confidentiality

of sensitive information obtained at the supervised practice facilities, providing proof of

insurance (automobile, health, liability), providing proof of freedom from communicable disease,

adequately preparing for supervised practice and completing assignments and following the dress

code. Failure to maintain professional behavior will result in disciplinary action. Students are

subject to disciplinary action and dismissal if they fail to follow the Code of Ethics for the

Profession of Dietetics.

Counseling and Disciplinary Procedures Policies and procedures that protect your rights and represent current institutional practices are

available in the Program Director's Office as well as in the FCS Department Office. You are

expected to comply with University and Hospital policies and regulations as long as you are

enrolled in the Dietetic Internship. If you violate a policy or regulation, disciplinary action up to

and including termination of the program enrollment may be appropriate. Action, other than

termination, is taken in an attempt to correct your conduct or performance and to help you meet

the standards as required. Counseling and disciplinary action may take several forms. The

appropriate form depends on the seriousness of the offense, the circumstance involved, your

previous record, etc. Actions taken by the Site Coordinator, after consultation with the Program

Director, take the following steps:

Step 1 – Oral Counseling

Oral counseling occurs when it is necessary to verbally inform you of inappropriate behavior or

performance problems. A record of the date, time and place the verbal counseling occurred will

be recorded and maintained in the Program Director’s and Site Coordinator's office. This record

will consist of a statement of the counseling given, including date, time and place, signature of

the Site Coordinator and date of signing. Space will be allotted for your comments and

signature. Your signature acknowledges receipt of the counseling, NOT necessarily agreement as

to content. This serves as a notice of necessary corrective action, not necessarily a statement of

discipline.

Oral counseling may occur for any of the following reasons:

Tardiness

Unexcused absence

Incomplete or late assignments

Inappropriate behavior as determined by the Site Coordinator

(Inappropriate interactions with facility personnel, lack of professionalism, etc)

Lying

Verbal or written falsification of assignments

Plagiarism

Failure to follow site policy on patient privacy issues

Unexcused absences will include failure to inform Site Coordinator or Program Director of

25

inability to attend class or work, car trouble or the inability to find the class, scheduling vacation

or absences without prior approval.

Step 2 - Written Counseling

This counseling will document the second offense of action. The form will include a description

of the incident describing required corrective action and failure to meet the action plan described

in Step 1. This step may include failure to comply with corrective actions as documented in Step

1. The Site Coordinator will complete the Counseling Form attached below, in consultation with

the Program Director. This record will consist of a statement of the counseling given, including

date, time and place, signature of Site Coordinator and date of signing. Space will be allotted for

your comments and signature. A copy of the form will be sent to the Program Director for

inclusion in the student file.

Your signature acknowledges receipt of the counseling, NOT necessarily agreement as to

content. This serves as a notice of a statement of discipline.

Step 3 - Written Warning of Termination

A written warning of termination will be given if the Written Counseling has not resulted in

corrective action. Intern will have four (4) days to comply with all requirements or termination

will occur.

Step 4 – Termination

Termination will occur if you have not met corrective action as described in Step 3 within the

four (4) days.

Discharge for serious offense can be made without prior written warning to you, but requires

prior approval of the Program Director and Chair of the FCS Department. The previous steps

may not need to be undertaken if a serious offense occurs. Examples of a serious offense include

but are not limited to, the following:

Insubordination;

Intoxication, possession, or use of intoxicants on the job;

Abandonment of position;

Fighting or threatening conduct;

Theft or unauthorized possession of hospital, patient or employee property;

Malicious and/or intentional destruction of hospital, patient or employee property;

Failure to report to work or notify the site coordinator of absence;

Falsification of records;

Action considered dangerous to patient, employees, visitors or physicians;

Behavior considered abusive or disruptive.

The Site Coordinator will document all actions taken on the Counseling Form attached. The

Form will be mailed to the Program Director immediately after consultation with the Intern.

26

California State University Northridge

Dietetic Internship Program

Counseling Form

Oral____ Written ____ Written Warning of Termination ____ Termination ____

Date: ________________________

Name of student/intern: _________________

Facility: _______________________

Person completing the counseling form: ____________________________

Description of incident/ reason for counseling:

Statement of counseling:

Corrective action plan required: (include date required by)

Comments by Dietetic Intern:

__________________________

Signature of Dietetic Intern

__________________________

Signature of Preceptor/Site Coordinator

__________________________

Signature of DI Director

Your signature acknowledges receipt of the counseling, NOT necessarily agreement as to content. This

serves as a notice of a statement of discipline.

27

Policy for Reviewing Preceptors Preceptors are evaluated by the interns at the end of their rotation, and reviewed by Program

Director. If a preceptor is not meeting the needs of the intern or expectations of the program, the

Program Director will contact the site supervisor and/or clinical nutrition manager to discuss

concerns, and form a coaching plan for the preceptor. The supervisor and/or clinical nutrition

manager will review the coaching plan with the preceptor. The preceptor will be reevaluated

annually. If an issue is continues, interns will not be scheduled with that preceptor in the future.

At the end of the internship year, Program Director will share and discuss evaluations with site

supervisors and/or clinical managers.

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

DI PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM CONTRACT

In addition to the policies on academic, professional, and clinical performance as described in the

DI Handbook and CSUN catalog,

1. I understand that the scheduling of DI supervised practice and FCS classes as to

time and location may vary according to need and that any outside commitment

is therefore secondary to my availability to the professional program. The DI

begins June of each year. All interns will be required to attend orientation and

trainings in the months of June and July. All orientation meetings, including

those at CSUN & at the supervised practice site are required and are not counted

as part of the hours for supervised practice. COM track interns who are not WIC

MIS trained will be required to become trained in the computer system prior to

start of the DI. This training is approximately four weeks in the month of June.

2. I understand that I will need to anticipate the following financial obligations in

the professional course of study:

Regular fees of the University as full-time student for two semesters to

complete the DI program including orientation and other fees.

Textbook costs

Professional student expenses such as: liability insurance, health

insurance & TB test, lab coat, name tag, commuting costs, parking fees

at CSUN and other sites as needed. Student membership in the AND is

recommended

Transportation expenses including access to a motorized vehicle and

automobile insurance.

3. The Dietetic Internship is to be completed within 2 semesters (10 months); special

permission from the DI is required to drop out for a semester. Required DI coursework must

be completed before I am eligible for the DI exam. I understand that ACEND requires that

the internship be completed within 15 months.

I must abide by all rules, regulations and requirements set forth in the DI Handbook

including those related to yearly physical examination and TB test, flu shots, titers when

required, protection of clients (fingerprinting and background check), and completion of

dietetic intern evaluations. I understand that if I fail to pass the background check and

fingerprinting I will be removed from the DI program.

5. I must abide by all rules and regulations of CSUN as described in the CSUN Catalog, CSUN

Schedule of Classes, and Family and Consumer Sciences Graduate Handbook. CSUN

stipulates that a graduate student must maintain a 3.0 GPA and B average.

6. I must provide a copy of my DPD verification form, proof of all insurance and physical

examination indicating you are free of communicable disease before beginning the DI.

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I have read and understand all CSUN DI Program Policies and Procedures.

I understand the above terms and will agree to them as a Dietetic Intern in the Dietetic Internship

Program, Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Northridge.

____________________ __________________________________________________

Date Print Name

____________________ ___________________________________________________

Date Signature

____________________ __________________________________________________

Date Witness

30

California State University Northridge Dietetic Internship

Intern Checklist and Agreement

The following documents are required for participation in the Dietetic Internship (DI). Contracts with

hospitals, other facilities as well as University Policies are the basis of this requirement. Some documents

are required each semester while others are required only at the beginning of the program. Attach a copy

of the documents to this form and place a √ by those that are attached. Provide this form and the attached

documents at orientation. (Please prepare and bring these items to the DI orientation in July, you will

submit to DI Director and/or DI Coordinator).

___ Student Confidentiality Statement (found in DI handbook)

___ Liability Insurance: attach copy of professional liability insurance policy. (You should sign-up as

a student, please make the official start date July. See handbook for how to apply for liability

insurance.)

___ Medical Insurance: attach copy of card (MUST have Medical Insurance during DI)

___ Car Insurance: attach copy of proof. You will need to resubmit the new form throughout the DI.

___ Proof of good health & TB test (physical exam), & copy of immunization records. Please use the

form in DI handbook and have your health care provider sign and date it. The Northeast Valley

Health Corporation (NEVHC) Health Clearance form will also need to be completed.

___ DPD verification form (month, day, year of completion). Original signed copy.

___ Final official transcript showing date of Bachelors degree awarded (month, day, year of

completion)

___ Community Concentration interns only: $750 training fee. (Due 1st day of orientation along with

checklist)

___ Background checks and fingerprinting. (Completed through NEVHC WIC – Marilen Howard

will send you an email with details. There will be a charge.)

___ A copy of A.N.D. member card. If you are not a member, you need to apply online as a student.

___ *CPR certification: attach copy of proof (must be valid)

___ *ServSafe certification: attach copy of proof (must be valid)

___ *HIPPA certification: attach copy of proof (must be valid)

* Due during orientation, prior to start of first rotation

Your signature below indicates that you have the following:

___ Lab coat: full length most desirable (Will be ordered)

___ Name Badge: Name, BS (or other degree) CSUN Dietetic Intern (Will be ordered through CSUN)

and that you have read the Dietetic Internship Handbook and you agree to abide by all policies and

procedures throughout the Dietetic Internship.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Full Name Signature Date

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SMART GOALS Dietetic Internship Each semester you will write SMART goals before beginning each rotation. During the first semester you will also write goals for DI and for your career. Word process your goals and update them as needed. Provide a copy of the goals at the beginning of the DI, either at the orientation or the first FCS 573 class.

Goals for this Rotation: Goals for each rotation must be written as SMART Goals.

Smart Goals are: measurable, acceptable, realistic, time framed. A Google search will provide more information to guide you in writing the SMART Goals. The competency statements will be a guide as to what you should expect to be able to do at the end of the rotation but you do not need to write a goal for each competency and you may want to achieve a goal that is not listed as a competency.

Goals for the dietetic internship.

Goals for your career.

Enjoy this process and be sure and save a copy as a word processed document.

32

Sample

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE

Name

Dietetic Internship: NT/ FS/ COM Rotation

LOG SHEET

Date Start & End time Hours Tasks/Assignments Initial (by RD

or FS

Manager)

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Total Hours:

________________________________ _______________________________________

Name of Registered Dietitian Signature of Registered Dietitian

________________________________ _______________________________________

Name of Dietetic Intern Signature of Dietetic Intern

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE—Dietetic Internship

Critical Incident Form – are completed every month on Canvas (at least 1 per rotation) during the

internship

Describe an incident or situation, during supervised practice, in which you were involved that made an

impression on you in either a positive or negative way.

Date:

Category of the Activity:

___ Observing & reporting

___ Decision making

___ Relating to preceptors, managers, employees

___ Adapting to new or stressful situations

___ Using learning opportunities

___ Demonstrating creativity

___ Evaluating professional performance

What happened?

How were you involved?

What was the effectiveness of this action?

In retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently?

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE

Dietetic Internship

Evaluation of Supervised Practice and Preceptor Form

(Completed through SurveyMonkey)

Name of facility: _____________________

Rotation: _____________________

Date: ___________________

Complete this form for each experience and rotation facility.

1. To what extent did this experience contribute to your professional growth?

Circle one:

a. contributed greatly

b. contributed to some extent

c. did not contribute as much as I expected

2. Were you ready for this rotation through readings, classes, orientation? If not, what would have

helped you be better prepared?

3. What activities were the most valuable?

4. What activities were useless for your professional development?

5. Were you allowed to develop your judgment and decision-making abilities?

6. In your opinion, does this rotation at this facility need improvement at this time?

7. To what extent did the preceptors at the facility contribute to your professional growth?

a. contributed greatly

b. contributed to some extent

c. did not contribute as much as I expected

8. Additional comments:

Preceptors may ask for feedback; indicate which action you want taken:

I have given my preceptor a copy of this form___

You may send a copy of this form___

Please keep my comments confidential___

Not applicable for this event_____

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California State University Northridge

Dietetic Internship Program

Dietetic Preceptor Evaluation Form (Completed through SurveyMonkey)

Date:

Name of Preceptor / Site:

Rating Score: (Please rate on the scale of 1-5. 1 being strongly disagree, 2. Disagree 3.

Neutral 4. Agree 5. Strongly agree)

Criteria

Rating

Score

(rate 1-5)

N/A Additional

Comments

1. Provides a valuable role model

2. Is knowledgeable and qualified as the rotation

instructor

3. Exhibits interest and enthusiasm in imparting

knowledge

4. Is sensitive and supportive to the needs of the

intern

5. Encourages development of self-confidence in

the intern

6. Demonstrates leadership in daily interactions

7. Presents a cooperative attitude

8. Promotes excellence for the profession and its

standards of practice

9. Provides clear and understandable expectations

and instructions for the rotation experience

Additional Comments :

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Outline for Case Study (Clinical & Community)

As this outline may be used for two rotations, there will be variations in information available. The intern is encouraged to consult with the DI director on the suitability of a case or any part of the case. Nutrition Therapy Two case studies are completed during the nutrition therapy rotation. The first case study is due by the time the intern has completed 100 hours. The second case study, which should be a patient with multi-system organ failure, is due before staff relief begins. One case is presented during the DI Seminar; discuss what case to present with DI director. The other case is presented to the staff at the rotation site. Please let the DI Director know the date and time of presentation. Consult with preceptor regarding which case to present. You must submit the written case studies in this format to your preceptor and DI director. You must use PowerPoint presentation for the oral presentation of the case. Community Rotation One case study is usually completed during the WIC or education or outpatient rotation. The case study is due, at the latest, on the last day of the rotation or before the 573 exam. The intern is encouraged to consult with the DI director on the suitability of a case or any part of the case. A word-processed copy of the case study should include footnotes and a reference list; conversations with other members of the health care team should be footnoted and included in the reference section. Sections to include in the case study

1. Description of primary disease and nutrition treatment: Discuss the patient’s primary diseases, including the incidence, diagnosis and pathophysiology and medical treatment. In greater detail, review current nutritional treatment. This section should be at least one page. 2. Abstract: An overview of the case from start to finish. It should be 50 -100 words. Include reason for admission/outpatient visit and briefly review hospital stay/clinic visit. 3.Nutrition Assessment: Past medical history: Obtain from patient, family, team member and/or medical record Family and Social history: Obtain from patient, family, team member and/or medical record. Include occupation or grade in school. Include hobbies, sports or other information which may impact on nutritional status. Physical Examination: Include vital signs from team member or medical record and your description/physical assessment of hair, skin, eyes, mouth, teeth, wt, ht and other anthropometric data; note presence/absence of edema, ascites. Note patient’s affect and other characteristics deemed important. Do not say eyes are normal, rather describe what you see. You may need to ask patient to open mouth. Include current and past physical activity. Use appropriate guide to assess adequacy of weight or growth (BMI, prenatal, child or specialized growth charts or BMI percentiles, % usual body wt or Subjective Global Assessment). 4. Oral, enteral or parenteral intake: Obtain from patient, family or medical record.

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Record the diet order and/or type of diet followed. If hospitalized, include the amount consumed or results of calorie counts, if implemented. If an outpatient, obtain a 24 hour recall or other measurement of prior food intake, including portion sizes. Briefly summarize findings, compare to patient’s usual intake and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Feeding or Eating skills/limitations: Obtain from observation of patient and/or family or medical record. Note use of specialized feeding equipment. Laboratory Data: Obtain from patient or medical record. Prepare table with serial labs (when available). Note normal range, including units. Medication usage: Obtain from patient or medical record. List dietary supplements, herbs, over the counter medications and MD prescribed drugs. Review purpose for taking drug, food/nutrient interactions and reported side effects. Indicate if and what side effects the patient is experiencing. Medical procedures or surgical procedures: Indicate and describe purpose and results of relevant procedures done during this or previous hospitalization 5. Nutrition Diagnosis2: Integrate all information above then write a nutrition diagnosis using reference 2; information this process is also included in Krause. If hospital is not using Nutrition Care Process (NCP) you must still include your PES statement in your case study. 4. Nutrition Intervention2: Describe activities and materials used to address the problem. Include discussions with health care team or family members. Write short-term and long-term measurable patient outcomes. 5. Nutrition Monitoring and Evaluation: Describe your review and measurement of the patient/client’s status. Review and follow-up could be conducted by telephone. If you were not able to follow-up with the patient or client, then include recommend times for follow-up by the next member of the health care team and desired outcomes of nutrition care to be measured or evaluated. 6. References used to prepare this case study. References sited above: Medical Nutrition & Disease A Case Based Approach (Hark & Morrison 2003). Nutrition Diagnosis: A Critical Step in the Nutrition Care Process available from www.eatright.org

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Medical and Physical History Form

Date: ______________ Department: _____________________

Name: ________________________________________ Age: _________________

Birth date: ________________________ Birth Place: _________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

Phone Number: _______________________________________________________

Family Physician: __________________ Address/phone number: __________________

Have you seen a physician in the past year? __________________________________

If yes, please explain_____________________________________________________

Medical History

Yes No

High Blood Pressure

Vision Problem

Hearing Problem

Thyroid Problem

Heart Disease

Rheumatic fever

Pneumonia

Tuberculosis

Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema

Hepatitis, Liver disease

Peptic Ulcer

Kidney disease, stones

Hernia

Venereal disease

Arthritis

Back problems

Epilepsy

Black outs

Diabetes

Malaria

Cancer

Severe Depression/emotional disorder

(if yes, require medication?____)

(if yes, require

hospitalization?__________)

Allergies

(if yes, explain ________________)

Have you had surgery?

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Explain: ____________________________________________________

Do you have any medical problems not listed above? Yes____ No______

Please describe________________________________________________

Any problems you wish to discuss with doctor? Yes_____ No_______

Are you on any medication? Yes____ No_____

Explain: ____________________________________________________

OFFICE USE ONLY

Abnormal physical findings:

VISION: Right______________ Left_________________

BLOOD PRESSURE: _____________

PULSE: ________________________

TB SKIN TEST:

Site Given____________________

Date Given____________________

Date Read ____________________

Result _______________________

Nurse Signature ______________________________________________________

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The undersigned hereby recognizes that medical records, patient care information, personnel information,

reports to regulatory agencies, conversations between or among any health care professional are considered privileged and should be treated with utmost confidentiality.

If it is determined that a breach of confidentiality has occurred as a result of my actions, I can be liable for

damages that result from such a breach.

_____________________________________________________ Dietetic Intern Name

Dietetic Intern Signature

Date

Student Confidentiality Statement – Dietetic Interns